This book aims to lay down the theoretical framework that will serve as the basis for a future research project on prehistoric watercraft technology. In order to achieve this, an account of the development of the architectural project of naval construction in prehistory is carried out through an analysis of its four basic constraints: socioeconomic constraints, nautical constraints, material constraints, symbolic constraints and perhaps also a fifth, consisting of technological and cultural heritage. It is concluded that these constraints cannot be analysed separately and that they are an inherent part of the architectural project. Likewise, it is proposed that, because of this reality, boats and ships were a key element of sociocultural evolution and, therefore, played an important role in the development of social complexity throughout prehistory.

Julián Moyano Di Carlo was born in the city of Mar del Plata (Buenos Aires, Argentina) in 1989. At age 17 he moved to Barcelona where he completed the first cycle of a Bachelor’s degree in History at the University of Barcelona and later a Bachelor’s in Archaeology at the same university. He then moved to Cádiz to pursue a first Official Master's Degree in Nautical and Underwater Archaeology at the University of Cádiz.

REVIEWS
‘An original and necessary work, [demonstrating] careful argumentation and reflective capacity, and a deep handling of a wide international bibliography. … Undoubtedly, this work should be a reference for any researcher who wants to investigate navigation in prehistory.’ Dr Felipe Cerezo Andreo, Universidad de Cadiz

‘A brilliant work. … Starting from a very strong theoretical position, the author has addressed the theme in a very original way, focusing not only on material aspects, but also on socio-economic and ideological aspects.’ Dr Eduardo Vijande Vila, Universidad de Cadiz